Earlier this month, Simmons ignited a firestorm when responding to a question about his relationship with former Kiss bandmates by going off on a tangent concerning depressed and suicidal people. “For a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, ‘I’m depressed, I live in Seattle,’” Simmons opined, “F– you, then kill yourself.”

Earlier this week Sixx, while noting that he likes Simmons, labeled those particular comments “moronic” and explained that “I don’t like Gene’s words, because … there is a 20-year-old kid out there who is a Kiss fan and reads this and goes, ‘You know what? He’s right. I should just kill myself.’”

As a handful of radio stations across the world then declared they would ban the music of Kiss from their airwaves in response to Simmons’ comments, the outspoken rocker offered first a clarification and then a straight-up apology for his words: “… I was wrong and in the spur of the moment made remarks that in hindsight were made without regard for those who truly suffer the struggles of depression. I sincerely apologize to those who were offended by my comments. I recognize that depression is very serious and very sad when it happens to anyone, especially loved ones. I deeply support and am empathetic to anyone suffering from any disease, especially depression.”

Sixx has responded by commending Simmons for apologizing via his Facebook page, wisely noting that a chance to accomplish something positive has come out of all this — “When people are listening we have an opportunity to pass along some valuable and positive information” — and then making the most of that chance by offering some eye-opening statistics about the impact and costs of suicide and depression in our country. His full text is below:

I wanted to take a moment to address the media thats been picked up by everybody from Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, NME, Billboard and many more around Gene Simmons comments telling depressed people to kill themselves. I also want to address and compliment Gene for publicly apologizing. That was 100% the right thing to do. This has turned into a bit of an anti-Gene Simmons bashathon and I don’t condone that nor do I support that radio stations across the country who are banning Kiss (the guys in the band didn’t do anything). Gene said something that has been addressed and maybe in a moment of bravado he was just being cocksure and pompous?
Out of everything in my life that’s has gone array either from my own action’s or others I try to learn a lesson. There is good in everything. What I know is this. When people are listening we have an opportunity to pass along some valuable and positive information.Since I have had my own struggle with addiction and depression I have been exposed to both sides of the process. Its not as simple as we are lowly addicts or morally incapable of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, doing the right thing or just snapping out of it. The process involves hard work and hopefully some form of a support team (family, friends etc) around you. That could mean therapy, rehab, 12 step programs or sometimes-even medication. It’s better than the alternative. Trust me..
So here are some stats I pulled for the uneducated and for anybody needing to know you’re not alone.
Thanks for being proactive in bringing awareness..Nikki
Depression stats
–14.8 million American adults (6.7%) are affected by a major depressive disorder each year
–1 in 10 Americans are affected by Depression at one point in their life.
–Women are twice as likely to have depression and symptoms of depression
–People aged 45-64 have the highest percentage rate for depression. (4.6%)
–The most common age to start developing symptoms of depression is 32.
SUICIDE
–Depression is the cause of over two-thirds of reported suicides each year (20,000 a year)
–For every 2 homicides in the US, there are 3 suicides.
–Untreated depression is the #1 risk for suicide among youth.
–The death rate from suicide is higher than chronic liver disease, Alzheimer’s, murder or hypertension.
TREATMENT
–80% of people that have symptoms of clinical depression are not receiving any treatment
–The Number of patients diagnosed with depression increases by about 20% each year.
–60-80% of all depression cases can be effectively treated with therapy and medication.
–Depression causes $70 billion in medical costs and lost productivity each year.

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